Manchester United have announced the appointment of Michael Carrick as their head coach until the end of the season.
The 44-year-old, who was a five-time Premier League champion as a player at Old Trafford, will take charge as a head coach for a second time at the club after a three-match stint in 2021 following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's exit.
Alongside Carrick will be Steve Holland, the former Chelsea and England assistant coach, Jonathan Woodgate, the ex-Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur centre-back who worked with Carrick at Middlesbrough, ex-United defender Jonny Evans, Travis Binnion, head coach of United's Under-21s, and Craig Mawson as goalkeeping coach.
“Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour," Carrick told ManUtd.com.
“I know what it takes to succeed here; my focus is now on helping the players to reach the standards that we expect at this incredible club, which we know that this group is more than capable of producing.
“I have worked with a number of the players already and have obviously continued to watch the team closely in recent years, I have total belief in their talents, dedication and ability to be successful here."
Darren Fletcher, Carrick's former United team-mate, had been in temporary charge since the departure of Ruben Amorim on 5 January.
Under Fletcher, United drew 2-2 at Burnley and lost in the FA Cup to Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round on Sunday. Fletcher will return to his previous role as manager of the Under-18s.
What next for Man Utd?
Carrick faces a tough start to his second spell in the Old Trafford dugout. First up is the Manchester derby, with Manchester City visiting in Saturday's opening match. Then there is a trip to league leaders Arsenal on 25 January.
But Carrick knows what it takes to beat Mikel Arteta and Arsenal as the final match of his previous spell was a 3-2 home win over the Gunners.
Watch Carrick's Man Utd beat Arsenal
The FA Cup exit to Brighton means that Premier League is the only competition left for Man Utd this season, with 17 matches remaining.
Despite a difficult season at Old Trafford, and a run of two wins in their last eight league matches, United still sit seventh, three points off Liverpool in fourth and a guaranteed place in the UEFA Champions League.
“There is still a lot to fight for this season," Carrick added. "We are ready to pull everyone together and give the fans the performances that their loyal support deserves."
Carrick's Old Trafford connection
Carrick, born in the North East town of Wallsend, played 464 games in all competitions for Man Utd between 2006 and 2018, having been signed from Tottenham Hotspur by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2006.
Carrick became the heartbeat of a Man Utd team who won five Premier League titles in seven seasons, with his calmness and authority in central midfield complemented by a superb range of passing.
He would retire from playing in 2018 and has been nominated for the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Carrick immediately joined Jose Mourinho's coaching staff at Old Trafford at the end of the 2017/18 season and, after the Portuguese was sacked, was kept on as a first-team coach throughout Solskjaer's 168-match reign.
When Solskjaer departed three years later, Carrick had his first spell as caretaker manager before Rangnick became the new boss. At that point, Carrick decided to leave the club on 2 December 2021.
Following a brief break from football, Carrick was handed his first permanent managerial position at Middlesbrough, who were 21st in the Championship with 17 points from their first 16 matches.
He won 16 of his first 23 matches and guided Boro to the playoffs, only for them to lose to Coventry City in the semi-finals.
Carrick's managerial record
| Stat | Man Utd | Middlesbrough |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 3 | 136 |
| Wins | 2 | 63 |
| Draws | 1 | 24 |
| Losses | 0 | 49 |
| Win percentage | 66.7% | 46.3% |
His side then narrowly missed out on the top six in successive campaigns, and Carrick was dismissed by Boro last June after two-and-a-half years in charge.